City’s sins

The throngs of people who once flocked to the streets of PoS in search of the best bargains have now metamorphosed into a much smaller group of timid shoppers who rush around at an unbelievable pace with the single goal of getting their goods and getting out of town

This shortage of consumers has been putting quite a large dent in the profits of the small businesses in the downtown area.

"Business has definitely slowed down drastically in recent times," said one manager of an African clothing store located in Capital Plaza, Chacon Street who described the negative effects of crime on business. "I don’t know if it’s because people are avoiding coming to town. I can tell you it’s not for a lack of marketable goods. We are not even seeing people walking through the malls in town like we used to."

Another store owner was even more distressed by the recent slump in sales and was uncertain as to a successful solution to subsidise her now slowing income.

She said, "Recently, everything just died. Everybody is avoiding Port-of-Spain and even if they come it’s just to do Government transactions, banking and whatever and they are out again."

She explained that her store was in the very heart of Port-of-Spain, on lower Frederick Street and as a result, the rent was very high, making a good profit an absolute necessity.

"At the end of the day, you are paying exorbitant rents," she said, revealing that the only solution she could think of was to have big sales in an attempt to attract customers back to PoS.

This was also a tactic being utilised by many other stores, including one lower down Frederick Street where the owner has been making an almost desperate attempt to boost sales.

She noted, "We’ve never had jeans being on sale, two for $100 like we do right now. We are just trying everything. We don’t know what to do."

She also revealed that it was becoming more and more frequent that at the end of the month, the store would be running at a loss but was optimistic that the Christmas season would be a life jacket for her sinking business.

The crime has reached such a level that the effects are even being felt in the downtown branch of Church’s Chicken.

Chief Executive Officer of the Pizza Boys Group, Jearlean John revealed that the fried chicken restaurant was suffering since the recent wave of crime swept the nation.

"Church’s Chicken used to have a vibrant night business but now it has slowed considerably. It is only if someone famous is in town and there is a concert in the savannah that business will temporarily pick up," she said.

"The reason is crime and not only that but the general air of degradation that now exists," said John. "People think that anything goes and as a result both business suffers and the willingness of staff to work because employees and customers are both afraid to be victims of crime. The behaviour is chipping away at the soul of PoS."

John went on to say that the Rituals Coffee Shop seemed to be the exception to the rule. She explained that business was booming at the two new branches of the shop that were recently opened on Frederick Street and Nicholas Towers, Independence Square.

John said that the reason for this was the product being sold and the time that it operated. She said that employees of the banks and Government building craved their coffee and this resulted in successful business for the store.

Crime has slowed a once bustling, active commercial centre, business people stress.

The result is the fears of those employed in town mingled with the instability of jobs and businesses as store owners struggle to balance high rents with low returns. With the Christmas season drawing near, many hope that the desire to find the best and cheapest products for money will encourage the return of the throngs of shoppers who once defined downtown Port-of-Spain and made it what it was.